03 April 2015

Weekend Links

If there is one sure-fire way to get back in the swing of being in this space, it is sharing wonderful education related links from around the web. From revisiting favorite blogs to playing games with Google Maps, there is plenty for me to ramble on about.

I hope you'll head over to the Facebook page and help start a discussion about professional development. It has been on my mind since the NAEA conference, and I'd love some reader input. Feel free to share your comments here as well.

Read the links after the jump!

I had the pleasure of seeing Marla McLean speak at the National Art Educator Association conference last week in New Orleans. I had always enjoyed her blog, and the lens through which she sees childhood. This is a thoughtful post on working with three year olds in the atelier.

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Despite a language barrier, I can tell that wonderful things are happening for the children working with artists to explore movement and drawing at the Segni mossi workshops. I am struck by the engagement of the children - this whole idea embodies respect for childhood. There are a few move videos in Alessandro Lumare's blog post on the workshop.

"These ministories offer messages of a positive culture of childhood. Educators can observe how an interactive education prepares children to become active participants in their learning in the 21st century. We can also observe the attentiveness and competency of teachers as they construct meaningful experiences with the children. Children are the inquirers, supported by the teachers with time, space and many engaging materials."

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Google Maps is a wonderful educational tool, and a new layer makes it a bit more fun and interactive. You can turn any Google Map into a game of Pac Man! I am an advocate for responsible tech use for children, and I think that this application is fun and helps children learn about some basic computer functions. Want to play Pac Man in downtown Seattle?

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Finally, I am so excited to be on the Think With Thingsteam! We are launching our Ambassador program with 50 schools this month, and I'll be sure to share more as we grow and launch. For me, it is the perfect intersection of edtech, curriculum design, and high quality early childhood practices.